I have used the movie "The Jerk" to talk
about hopelessness. Toward the end of the movie the main character
has lost everything that is important to him. He feels a failure and
is in his home announcing that "I don't need you!" and
preparing to leave. But before he leaves he starts a litany of
sorts. "I don't need anything ... except this ashtray (picks up
ashtray). I don't need anything except this ashtray and this remote
(adds the remote)." He continues like this until his arms are
full of useless things. It is a vision of utter hopelessness
and he is reaching for something to hold onto and finding all the
wrong things. I will often ask people, "what would you pick up
if you lost all hope?" It leads into some more meaningful
reflections. (submitted by Thomas Hay)